Spring-leaf wrapper



Oct. 8, 1929. s, YOUNG 1,731,034

'. SPRING LEAF WRAPPER Filed Nov. 11, 1924 6 TR L IN VEN TOR.

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" ATTORNEYS.

Patented Oct. 8, 1929 PATENT OFFICE STEPHEN L. YOUNG, OF SYRACUSE, NEW YORK SPRING-LEAF WRAPPER Application filed November 11, 1924.

This invention relates to wrappers for leaf springs, as the springs of motor vehicles, and has for its object a wrapper which is particularly simple and economical in construction,

readily applied to the leafspring, and which is grease or oil tight, and can withstand the pressurewithout leaking, of grease guns or other pressure devices employed to inject grease or oil into the various bearings of a motor vehicle.

The invention consists in the novel features and in the combinations and constructions hereinafter set forth and claimed.

In describing this invention reference is had to the accompanying drawings in which like characters designate corresponding parts in all the views.

Figure 1 is a fragmentary side elevation of a spring provided with my wrapper, the contiguous portion of the frame of the vehicle and the axle being also shown.

Figure 2 is an enlarged fragmentary elevation of the leaf adjacent a spring clip, the wrapper being shown in section.

Figure 3 is a sectional view on line 33, Fig. 1.

Figure 4 is a sectional view on line 4-4, Fig. 2.

Figure 5 is a fragmentary plan view of the 3 base strip.

Figure 6 is a side elevation of parts seen in Fig. 5.

Figure 7 is a fragmentary detail view of the portion of the wrapper adjacent a spring clip.

Figures 8 and 9 are respectively enlarged detail views of the joint at the lower-right hand corner of Figure 3.

This leaf spring wrapper comprises, generally, a base strip arranged to extend lengthwise of the spring and usually lengthwise of the under face of the lower or main leaf of the-spring, a wrapper of flexible or fibrous material secured at its edges with the opposite edges of the basestrip, the base strip having F the spring 2, this base strip preferably having Serial No. 749,159.

upstanding lugs or flanges 3 struck therefrom and lapping the opposite sides of the springs of the lower leaf to hold the base strip from lateral displacement, especially while the flexible wrapper is being stretched and applied. The base strips are furnished in certain standard lengths, which can be cut ofl to suit the length of the spring and the distance from the end of the spring to the axle 4. The spring here shown is of the semi-elliptical type pivoted at one end at 5 to the sill 6 of the vehicle, and secured intermediate of its ends to the axle.

8 is the wrapper of flexible or fibrous material, as leather or one of the fibrous products usually in the nature of imitation leather as pantasote, the wrapper being secured at. its opposite edges to the base strip, and the base strip being provided with means by which the wrapper when wrapped around the spring can be tightened and secured to the base strip, such means being movable into its final position and when so moved tending to additionally tighten the wrapper.

As hero illustrated the base strip 1 is provided with similar means on opposite edges thereof and the wrapper 8 may be first secured to one edge before being wrapped around the spring and secured to the other edge of the base strip or both margins of the wrapper may be attached to the base strip after it is applied to the spring. The means for attaching the wrapper 8 to the base strip as here shown comprises down turned flanges 9 on opposite edges of the base strip and prongs 10 on the lower ends of the flanges, these flanges being here shown as alternating with upwardly extending flanges and lugs 3. The fabric 8 or the opposite margins thereof are hooked on the prongs 10. These prongs are here shown as extending outward ly at an angle to the flange 9.

The fabric or wrapper 8 is first hooked over the prongs 10 along one edge of the base strip as seen at the left hand side of Figures 3 and 4, then these prongs 10 are clenched by bein folded around and clenched onto the inner face of the flange 9, and the flange folded on the lower face of the strip to form a joint in the nature of lock seam or rolled joint. The wrapper is then stretched around the spring and hooked in the prongs 10 at the other side of the base strip, and then these prongs 10 and the flange 9 are folded, rolled or clenched as before. The folding or rolling finally tightens the fabric onto the spring.

When the spring is provided with spring clips and the spring clips are not removed for the purpose of applying the wrapper, although the base strip may extend the length of the spring and under the spring clip as shown at 12, the fabric Wrapper 8 maybe formed in sections terminating at the spring clip, and in order to form a tight oint over the-spring clip, an additional wrapper 13 is lappedover the ends of the former wrapper 8. The margins of the wrapper 13 are secured to the same lugs or prongs 10 that the contiguous part of the wrapper 8 is secured to. Or the wrapper 8, instead of being formed insectionsmay be formed with a slit as 14 of the shape shown in Fig. 7 through which the ends 15 of the bolt 160i the clip 12 extend, and the outer wrapper 13 covers these projecting ends 15 and the bolt 16.

Oftentimes an oiler is used provided with a coupling to receive the nozzle of a grease gun. In such cases the wrappers 8 and 13 are arranged relative to the oiler, practically the same illustration is used in connection with the spring clip with the exception that the nozzle or receptacle of the oiler extends through the wrappers so the nozzle of a grease gun can be attached thereto.

This spring leaf wrapper is particularly advantageous in that it consists of a long single base strip to which the wrapper proper is applied, and can be readily applied by an unskilled workman and without the use of special tools, a pair of pliers and possibly a hammer being all that is necessary.

l/Vhat I claim is 1. A cover forlea-f springs comprising a base strip arranged to extend lengthwise of the spring and to lie directly against the spring and a wrapper of foldable material secured at one side margin to one margin of the base strip and foldable around the spring, the base strip having means along its other margin'for hooking the wrapper thereon, the base strip forming an anchor for the wrapper while being wrapped and stretched around the spring before being hooked onto the base strip.

2. A cover for leaf springs, comprising a base strip arranged to extend lengthwise of the spring, and a wrapper of foldable material secured at one side margin to one margin of the base strip, and foldable around the spring, and the base strip having at its other margin means for securing the wrapper thereto, the last mentioned means, comprising prongs on which the margin of the wrapper is hooked, said prongs being foldable back onto the strip.

3. A cover for leaf springs, comprising a base strip arranged to extend lengthwise of the spring, and a wrapper of foldable material secured at one side margin to one margin of the base strip, and foldable around the spring, and the base strip having at its other margin means for securing the wrapper thereto, the last mentioned means comprising downwardly extending flanges terminating in prongs on which the wrapper is hooked, the flanges being foldable back onto the base strip.

4. A=cover for leaf springs, comprising a base strip arranged to extend lengthwise of the spring, and a wrapper of "l oldable material secured at oneside margin to one margin of the base' stri-p, and foldable around the spning,and the base strip having at its other margin means for securing the wrapper thereto, the last mentioned means comprising downwardly extending flanges terminating in prongs on which the wrapper is hooked, the prongs being toldable backwardly onto the flanges, and the flanges being toldable onto the base strip.

5. A coverforleaf springs, comprising a base strip arranged to extend lengthwise of the spring, the base strip having means at its margin for lapping the sides of the spring, and a wrapper ott foldable material secured at one side margin to one margin 01": the base strip, and folda'ble around the spring, and the base strip having at its other margin means forrsec uring the wrapper thereto, the last mentioned means comprising downward.- ly extendingrflanges having outwardly extending: prongs on which the wrapper is hooked, the prongs being foldable inwardly toward the'center of the base strip onto the inner side of the flange, and the flange being foldable inwardly onto the base strip.

6. A cover for leaf springs comprising a base strip arranged to extend lengthwise of the spring and extending substantially the width of the-spring and a wrapper of foldable material, the base strip havingmeans along its margins located at the corners of the spring for connecting the wrapper thereto.

7. A cover for leaf springs comprising a base stripa-rranged to extend lengthwise ol the spring and extending substantially the widthof the spring and a wrapper of folda'ble material, .the base strip having prongs at its margins located at the corners of the sp-ringfor connecting the edges of the wrapper thereto.

8. A :cover for leaf springs comprising a base stripand a wrapperof flexible material, the strip being constructed to extend lengthwise and substantially the full width of the spring, the strip having means located substantially at the corners of the spring for securing the Wrapper theretov and said Wrapper being securable first to the means at one corner of the strip and then Wrappable tightly around the spring and then securable to the means on the base strip at the other corner of the spring, all whereby the Wrapper can be pulled tightly around the spring and conform to the taper thereof.

In testimony whereof, I have hereunto signed my name at Syracuse, in the county of Onondaga and State of New York, this 1st day of November, 1924.

STEPHEN L. YOUNG. 

